Metallurgical apparatus.



G. J. RICE.

METALLURGICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYII, 1912.

LlSfifilW I Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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C. J. RIG'E. METALLURGIGAL APPARATUS. A-PPLmATmN-rum JULY 11, 191:

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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twyers and the respective twyer box,

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0F ASEIiAND, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE PNEUMATIC CU'EOLA.

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METALLURGICAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Mar. 3TB, 1915..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, (Jr-mums J. Bron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful 1mrovements in Metallurgical Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in metallurgical apparatus, and the primary objects of the invention are to provide improved apparatus of this character whereby high-grade gray iron and malleable iron castings may be made from the cupola and with greater economy in fuel and less loss in castings, and to avoid mechanical difiiculties or accidents in the operation of the apparatus.

According to the present invention the pressure of air through suitable twyers in the cupola can be quickly and easily varied to change the grade of metal as desired, these twyers being preferably so constructed and arranged that the molten metal cannot enter them should the air blast cease for any reason, these twyers being so arranged as to insure more efficient purification of the metal, and they are also preferably adjusted in such relation to the bath of metal in the cupola as to impart a revolving motion to the loath of metal and also to the gases above it, thereby insuring uniform mixing of the metal and minimizing the tendency of the cinder to climb the cupola.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 represents a central vertical section through metallurgical apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section through the cupola, the intermediate purification chamber, and a portion of the receiver; Fig. 3 represents a certain vertical,

section through the intermediate purification V depth of chamber; Fig. 4: represents an enlarged sec tional view showing one of the improved show passage in the twyer,

ing the cover thereof provided with the door in alinement with the respective air and the mica peepsight closing the same; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the twyer box cover and the doors therefor; Fig. 8 1s a perspective view of one of the twyers.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

At the present time, cupolas which use compressed air as a medium for the refining of the iron are so constructed as to render it impossible to control the air supply, and moreover, difficulties or accidents, should for any reason the air pressure or blast cease for any space of time, thus allowing the molten metal to enter the twyers and clog the air holes therein. Also no means knowledge been used heretofore for subjecting the metal to oxidation in a separate chamber and free from the ill effects of the incandescent coke. Furthermore, no means has been heretofore devised to my knowl-,

edge whereby the purified metal in the receiver can be kept at a relatively high temperature for any considerable length of time and to liberate from the metal in the receiver any gases that may be imprisoned therein. The present invention obviates the difficulties heretofore experienced in the operation of metallurgical apparatus of this type, and moreover, insures the production of superior high'grade castings, the apparatus being so constructed that the amount of air supplied may be adjusted, thus enabling the grade of the castings to be varied as desired.

The preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and the same will be hereinafter described in detail, but it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular construction shown, as equivalent constructions may be used to produce substantially the same results.

In the present instance, 1 designates the cupola having a hearth or bottom 2 which supports above it a bath of metal 3, the which may vary for example from three to eight inches according to the size of in he cupola. In the present instance, the usual they are subject to mechanical has to my or ordinary twyers 4 lead into the cupola at a level above the top of the bath, a cinder notch 5 isarranged at approximately the level of the top of the bath of metal, and a discharge spout 6 leads from the interior of the cupola and receives the overflow of the metal composing the bath. According to the present invention, twyers are mounted in the cupola at a level above the top of the bath of molten metal and serve to inject air for the purpose of purifying the metal, these twyers being inclined downwardly so as to direct the air so introduced into the bath of metal, and these twyers moreover may be mounted at any desired angle with reference to the axis or center of the cupola, and when these twyers are arranged tangentially or out of alinement with the center of the cupola, the air introduced thereby imparts a whirling or revolving motion to the molten metal, causing thorough and uniform mixing of the air with the metal as well as a mixing of the metal itself, insuring uniform and more perfect purification, and also the air so introduced minimizes the tendency of the cinder to climb up in the cupola. In the present instance, a pair of twyers are mounted at diametrically opposite sides of the cupola, each of the twyers being composed preferably of a block 7 of fireclay or other heat-resisting material which is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending air passages 8. The twyer is mounted in the wall of the cupola in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 4, the inner end of the twyer being located immediately above the normal level of the bath of metal. These twyers are preferably inserted in the manner shown in Fig. 2, that is to say, with the air passages thereof arranged tangentially or out of alinement with the center of the cupola,

theinner ends of the twyer blocks being trimmed off in the latter instance flush with the inner face of the cupola wall. The outer end of each twyer is arranged in a twyer box 9 on the exterior of the cupola, the latter being connected to anv source of air under relatively high pressure, the pressure'usually varying between five and eight pounds per square inch. Each twver box is provided with a cover 10 and each cover is formed with a set of apertures 11 which are in alinement with the respective air passages 8 of the twyer, thus enabling a rod or tool to be inserted through these apertures 11 into the air passages of the twyer for cleaning purposes. Also in operating the cupola, the amount of air supplied thereto through these downwardly inclined twyers may be varied by stopping one or more of the air passages therein by clay or other suitable means, and the apertures 11 in the twyer box enable a drill or other appropriatetool to be inserted for the purpose of removing such stoppers as may be used for such purpose, thereby enabling the amount of air supplied through the twyers to be increased as may be desired. The apertures 11 in the cover of the twyer box are normally closed by doors 12, these doors being hinged or pivoted to the cover of the twyer box by the pins 13, and each door has a peep-sight 14; arranged to register with the respective aperture 11 in the cover, the peep-sight being normally closed, however, by a mica or transparent disk 15 which may be held in position by a bushing or eye-piece 16, the peep-sight enabling the operator to observe from time to time the condition of the metal in the furnace. The door 12 may be swung aside to uncover the aperture 11 when it is desired to introduce a tool into the twyer.

The molten metal from the cupola flows through the spout 6 into a purification chamber 17 which is interposed between the cupola and the receiver 18, the metal flowing from the interposed purification chamber and into the receiver through a spout 19. This purification chamber is preferably circular in form and may be considerably smaller than the cupola. High pressure blast twyers 20 are fitted to the intermediate purification chamber, these twyers being preferably of the same construction as the twyers 7 used in the cupola, they being inclined downwardly with their inner ends slightly above the level of the top of the bath of metal in this chamber, and they are also preferably arranged with their air passages in alinement with the axis of the chamber whereby uniform and thorough mixing of the air with the metal is insured. Additional twyers 21 of similar construction may be placed in the lower portion of this chamber and below the level of the top of the bath of metal for the purpose of injecting the purifying air directly into the body of the bath of metal. The metal in this intermediate purification chamber is treated with the purifying aid while the metal is free from the ill effects of the incandescent coke, and more perfect and uniform purification is thereby obtained.

The metal flows from the intermediate purification chamber into the receiver 18 through the spout 19, this receiver being provided with a cinder notch 22 and a tapping hole 23, and in order to maintain the molten metal in the receiver at a relatively high temperature for any desired length of time until the metal is to be drawn 01f, electrodes 24 are extended through the walls of the receiver and are connected to a suitable source of electric current. The heat generated by the current passing between these electrodes also serves to liberate from the metal any gases contained therein. The cupola and also the intermediate purification chamber may be provided with tapping holes 25 and 26 respectively whereby the contents of these parts of the apparatus may be entirely drained 01f when the operation thereof is completed.

I claim as my invention 1. A cupola furnace adapted to contain a bath of molten metal, main twyers arranged therein above the bath of metal, means for supplying air at relatively low pressure thereto, and high pressure purifying twyers fitted in the furnace below the main twyers and above the level of the top of such bath and inclined downwardly and having means for supplying air at relatively high pressure thereto to cause the high pressure blasts therefrom to penetrate the bath.

:2. A cupola furnace adapted to contain a bath of molten metal, main twyers arranged therein above the bath of metal, and a high pressure twyer fitted in the furnace below the main twyers and above the level of the top of such bath and inclined downwardly to cause the high pressure blasts therefrom to penerate the bath, such twyer being also arranged tangentially with respect to the axis of the furnace.

3. A cupola furnace adapted to contain a bath of molten metal in the bottom thereof, main twyers arranged therein above the bath of metal, and high pressure purifying twyers mounted with their inner ends below the main twyers and above the level of the top of the bath and directed downwardly toward the same and tangential to the axis of the cupola.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES J. RICE.

Witnesses:

LITTLETON P. HOULT, WARREN E. MUMFORD.

flepilee of thte patent may be obtained for five cente each, by addreeeing the Commissioner of Watenta, Waahtnaton, D. U. 

